The office went dead silent. Sandra’s pen froze mid-stroke, her mouth forming a small ‘o’ of surprise. The recorder kept running, capturing every excruciating second.
Kellan’s hand went slack in mine.
My chest constricted as the full weight of what I’d just done crashed over me. The careful facade we’d built, the delicate balance of truth and lies—I’d shattered it all with four desperate words.
“I’m sorry.” I stumbled to my feet, knocking my coffee mug. Brown liquid spread across Sandra’s pristine notepad. “Oh God, I’m so sorry.”
My hands shook as I grabbed tissues, making everything worse as I tried to clean up. Tears burned behind my eyes. I couldn’t look at Kellan. Couldn’t bear to see his expression.
“I have to—” The words stuck in my throat. “I can’t?—”
I bolted for the door, my heels catching on the threshold. The hallway stretched endless before me as I ran, my pulse thundering in my ears. Behind me, I heard Kellan call my name, but I didn’t stop.
Shame and panic chased me down the stairs. What had I done? We’d built something real from this lie—something precious and new. And I’d just blown it up in front of a journalist.
My chest heaved as I burst out into the parking lot. The engagement might have started as pretend, but Kellan’s kisses weren’t fake. The way he held me at night wasn’t a lie. The feelings growing between us were real.
And I’d just thrown it all away because I couldn’t handle the guilt.
Seventeen
Kellan
I pushed through the swinging doors of Doc Holliday’s, my mind still churning over yesterday’s disaster. Tate hadn’t answered any of my calls or texts since fleeing the interview. The late afternoon sun slanted through the windows, casting long shadows across the weathered floorboards.
Movement at our usual corner table caught my eye. My steps faltered as I recognized not just Gabe and Clint, who I’d cornered at Kiss My Grits yesterday to ask for help, but Rhett too. Guilt punched me in the gut—I’d been so wrapped up in the situation with Tate, I hadn’t even known he was back.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” Clint drawled.
I clasped Rhett’s hand, surprised he wasn’t in a sling. “When’d you get back?”
“Two days ago. Docs finally cleared me to travel.” Rhett rolled his good shoulder. “Still got some more PT ahead of me, but better than the alternative.”
“Damn straight.” I slid into the empty chair. “What else have I missed?”
“Well.” Gabe’s usually stoic expression softened. “Felicity and I worked things out.”
Given she’d been with them at the diner when I’d crashed their late breakfast, I’d kinda figured that. I’d just been too consumed with worry to ask about it.
“About time,” Clint muttered. His fingers traced patterns in the condensation on his beer glass. “Speaking of which, Austen and I are officially together. Got big brother’s blessing and everything.”
Rhett snorted. “Like you needed it. But yeah.”
“Sounds like that pact’s working out for most of us.” I caught Rhett’s eye. “You got plans?”
A ghost of a smile crossed his face. “Maybe. But I just got back. Give a guy time to get his bearings.”
“None of us are here to talk about us. You’re the one who issued a 911,” Gabe reminded us. “I gather there’s trouble in paradise with your engagement?”
“About that.” I rubbed at the back of my neck and cast a glance around to make sure nobody was in earshot.
Clint’s eyes widened. “You broke up already? Shit, dude. I just got the engagement party invite earlier this week!”
“No, it’s not that. I… Well, it’s complicated.” As quickly as possible, I filled them in on what really happened.
“So let me get this straight,” Rhett clarified. “You were never engaged for real?”
I shook my head. “I mean, given how things changed between us, I figured we were headed in that direction, and there was no reason to upset folks by correcting them. But then the reporter who did the original article wanted to do a follow up interview yesterday. Tate finally cracked under the pressure. She blurted out that we weren’t really engaged, then bolted before I could stop her.” I took a long pull of my beer. “Left me there with Sandra Chen looking like she’d just stumbled onto the story of the year.”
